


Trying to Play It Cool (but that's not what i wanna do)

by Truetomorrow



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Powers, College Credence and Queenie, Gen, Gratuitous Movie References, Happy Ending, Journalist Tina, M/M, Misunderstandings, MyStErIoUs Percival, a touch of angst, also name the movie references, but that's not fun, pure fluff, so it lasts seconds, so much cheese hope you aren't lactose intolerant
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-05
Updated: 2018-08-05
Packaged: 2019-06-22 11:54:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,622
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15581412
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Truetomorrow/pseuds/Truetomorrow
Summary: Credence is a barista, Percival is a mysterious customer who never gives his name. Surely no misunderstandings could come from that.





	Trying to Play It Cool (but that's not what i wanna do)

**Author's Note:**

> Part of the Fantastic Beasts Community Calendar. Sorry this came At The End of my week, but here it is! _Real Genius_ is on Netflix right now, and like... Y'all should watch it. It's such a good film. (I mean, it's only barely related to this at all, but the movie is Just So Good)
> 
> Title is from Tessa Violet's newest released song, [_Crush_](https://open.spotify.com/album/6YCCXSCAnh4Ppzs8Hv3xXd) which I unofficially recommend you give a listen while reading this. Or, you know. Always.

Getting this job back in his first year of college had been nothing short of a miracle. Not only had he been able to earn enough to stay afloat, his hours were flexible, and his coworkers had become his closest friends. 

And then, one day, Graves had arrived. 

He orders a drink that verges on ridiculous, and when Credence can't contain the chuckle as he asks the man's name, the other man shuffles and grins. "Dumbledore.” 

Credence snorts, then flushes at the noise. "Alright, Albus, that'll be $3.91." Then the man pulls out a wallet and counts out exact change. 

Credence told himself he isn't charmed. Sure, the guy is good looking, and he has good taste in books, but chances are that Credence will never see him again. 

The next morning, just after the usual rush, Credence looks up from rearranging cups to come face to face with the man. Horrified, he hears himself let out a tiny gasp, and blushes as he tries to laugh it off. 

"Hey, uh. You'd think I would be used to people at the counter..." the other man smiles and shrugs. 

"Maybe I'm a spy, super silent.” 

Credence grins again (what is wrongwith him?), "alright, Agent Rivers, what can I get you?” 

That pulls a real laugh from the other man as Credence begins preparing the drink. “Okay, fair enough, but aren’t you too young to get that reference, much less be making it yourself?” 

Credence is glad his back is turned as he feels himself flush slightly. “I like 80s movies” is what he ends up saying, leaving it at that. So what if he has a little crush on Val Kilmer? Tina teases him enough for his outlandish crushes, and he hasn’t even mentioned the guy who has come to the cafe twice and still refuses to give his name. 

The man pouts as he pulls out his wallet, “but why not Bond?" and Credence arches an eyebrow and holds up the iced coffee sugar concoction. The man raises his own brows in surrender, and hands over $4.01, Credence hands him the drink and a dime, noticing the $5 that definitely had notbeen in the tip jar before. “Have a good day… and watch out for cows.” 

The man tosses a wink over his shoulder as he makes his way out the door, and Credence definitely does not stick his tongue out at him. The same way his heart definitely doesn’t flutter at the laugh.

 

On the third visit, two days later, Credence is busying himself washing the dishes that need to be taken care of. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Queenie make her way to the counter, and chirp a pleasant “hello!” The voice that responds is familiar in a way that makes Credence avert his face and focus only on the suds in front of him. 

This is why they have a dishwasher. But the cafe had been so empty, and washing dishes was cathartic. Oh well, Credence thinks, maybe the guy will be back tomorrow — but then Queenie laughs and says, “no, you take your time, Credence here will be able to help you, I’ve got to check the oven.” She bumps his hip as she passes, murmuring “you didn’t mention mister nameless was so cute!” 

Credence glares at her, but rinses his hands - there is nothing in the oven right now, as they are both aware - and when he turns around to approach the counter, the man there seems to be rearranging the candy and nut bars. Credence clears his throat and the man startles a little guiltily. 

“I, ah. I’ve decided. Thought I would get something a little different, but the usual will be just fine.” He seems about to say something else, and Credence is tempted to pretend he doesn’t know what “the usual” is, but instead finds himself reaching out to the little box beside the register, pulling out a blank card to pass over. 

“If you’re here enough to have a usual, you should definitely have a punch card.” He finds himself holding his breath - ridiculous, it’s not like he asked the man to marry him - but the other man simply smiles and pulls a pen from the bag at his side Credence hadn’t even noticed and fills out the name portion of the card. “What’s the name for the order?” 

There is a moment of silence before he hears “…Peter” and Credence cocks his head to the side as he writes it down. 

“Parker or Hale?” 

“Well, it’s been a while since I’ve killed anyone, so let’s go with Parker.” He hears the click of a pen and the rustle of a bag as the pen is put away, and Credence feigns disinterest as he goes about making the drink, only glancing at the card when he picks it up to stamp three of the little circles. “Graves.” He files it away under the G’s and accepts the payment, again noticing a hefty tip that hadn’t been there before. 

The other man, Graves, takes a sip of his drink and lets out a little sigh, “absolutely perfect. As always.” and Credence feels his face explode with heat. He rubs at the back of his neck, conflicted between thanking Graves for the compliment and pulling him over the counter to see if he makes that little noise again. 

Playing it safe, Credence decides on thanking him. He gets a grin, and a jaunty wave as the man exits, and if Credence watches the way the jacket pulls against his shoulders as he walks, there is no one there to judge him. 

Only later does Credence notice that all of the bars that the man had been fidgeting with were all askew and in no real order. Queenie watches gleefully as he rearranges them back into some order that makes sense, but otherwise remains silent - though he knows it’s only a matter of time. 

 

"He's here again!” 

Credence feels himself blush, but doesn't look up from where he's putting the final touches on the pastries. This doesn't deter Queenie at all as she sweeps past him to whisper, "Oh look, he's stopped to admire that painting. Next, he'll be fixing his shoelaces. Better finish quick, before he starts reorganizing the candy again." Credence shushes her, but can't stop the smile when he glances over and sees the man at the door frowning at his shoes — which have no laces — the last pastry is completed just as the man makes it to the counter, and Credence is there just in time to distract him. 

His order is the same as ever, but when Credence asks his name for the drink, even though the cafe is once again blatantly empty in the mid-morning lull, he gets a quick grin and "Luke Skywalker."

Queenie snorts where she is busy restocking the newly completed baked goods, and Credence replies with a bland, "nice of you to come out this far, Luke.” 

Even though he can almost hearQueenie's eye-roll, Graves' laugh makes it worthwhile. A few seconds later, he feels his phone buzz in his pocket, then buzz again. He ignores it, knowing exactly who sent it, and that there's a 90% chance he wouldn't be able to control the embarrased blush. The guy is cute and funny, but it's not like they're a thing. He doesn't even know his real name. Graves continues to pay with cash, so there's not even a credit card. The only clue Credence has is his punch card which is signed "Graves." Is it a nickname? Last name? A random name with no meaning at all? 

Credence has no idea, but it's become a running gag that this Graves gives a different name whenever he comes in, and if Credence hadn’t developed such a crush on the other man, he would be more annoyed at his not knowing.

 

* * *

 

These interactions go on for months, Graves slowly becoming more comfortable and chatting for longer with both Queenie and Credence before he heads off — thankfully never wreaking havoc on the displays again — but he still gives a different name whenever he comes in. He is firmly cemented as “Graves” in Credence’s mind, though, as the second and third punch cards retain that as their only text. Surely, that has to mean something; it takes everything Credence has not to google the name to see what comes up. It’s clear that, for whatever reason, the man does not want to give his real name, and Credence tries to respect that. 

All of a sudden, summer has arrived, and Credence is working his last day until fall, heading off to his internship at a museum in DC for the next two months. 

Graves hadn’t stopped by in almost a week, and Credence keeps an eye on the door all day, running from the back any time he hears someone come in, feeling guilty that he might miss Graves. That he won’t be able to tell the other man that Credence will be gone for the next few weeks. But, like the previous days, the man never comes, and Credence shrugs off Queenie’s worried looks. 

Credence doesn’t even know what he does. Maybe he’s been called away on a business trip… or was injured… or got tired of Credence and stopped coming. 

Rubbing his hands against his eyes, Credence sighs. He can admit, now, that he had thought Graves liked him. Not that a man like Graves would have dated Credence… but had liked him enough to enjoy spending time with him. He shakes his head. No point in worrying. Either Credence sees him again one day, or he doesn’t. Nothing more to be done. 

So he closes up that night and meets Queenie and Tina for drinks before his flight the next day. He had worked hard for this internship, and he’s going to enjoy it. With or without mystery man’s contact info. He spends the night catching up with his friends, asking Tina about her new job at the newspaper and the boss who had to be about 80 months pregnant, teasing Queenie about being sweet on the new baker who had been hired for the cafe, and Credence feels light and hopeful. There is more to the world than harmless flirting with clever customers. No matter how attractive they may be. 

Still, when she drops him off at the airport, Credence asks Queenie not to mention Graves’ name, or tell Credence anything about him if he does stop in. He can tell she wants to argue, wants to ask just why it’s so important to Credence, but she restrains herself, and he holds her close before running to get through security. 

 

* * *

 

When all is said and done, the summer really flies by. 

Before he knows it, Credence is back in New York, back to the cafe, and back in classes. He’s got the opening shift, now, which he finds he doesn’t mind too much, although he misses the mid-mornings and afternoons when he would get to chat with more people who had already been awake long enough to be functioning. 

A week into this new shift, almost to the end of it, Credence watches Graves walk in the door, closely followed by a woman who looks somewhat familiar although Credence can’t place her, probably someone who had come in a few times before. 

Credence watches Graves’ face light up with surprise and delight, before he glances at the woman next to him and his face shifts back into something more serious, more professional. Credence is confused, but his heart is pounding to hard he can’t think much, past that. When they approach the counter, they both give their orders, and Graves defers to her when Credence asks for a name. 

“Sam,” she says with a smile, and Credence writes “Sam” on her cup. The woman says something to Graves, and he smiles and nods as she heads off to grab a table, the seating a little more competitive at this hour. 

“Welcome back, I was worried you were gone for good!” Credence laughs as he fills the cups with black coffee, “no, just for the summer.” 

Graves looks uncomfortable as he shuffles in his bag for his wallet. “Well it’s good to see you again. I have to go, now, but. But take care.” 

With that, Graves has paid and taken the two cups back to the table, and Credence watches as the woman takes hers to the side counter which is set up with the sugars and other assorted toppings. Graves sits with his back to Credence, and Credence frowns. Take care? What just… happened?

 

Over the next few weeks, Graves shows up with a different woman every morning, and always waits for her to order first and give her name. Credence remains polite, but increasingly cold. 

So what if the man is flaunting his one night stands. He’s not the man Credence had thought he was, if he takes women home and doesn’t even remember their names the next day. 

Though he tries not to be, Credence is disappointed. There had been something about Graves that Credence had admired - beyond the attractive face and nice clothes - and this feels a bit like the time he had met Santa as a kid, and he realized it was nothing more than an old man with a fake beard. Only, back then, he was sure it must have been because Santa was too busy to make it, and the man had been a stand-in. 

Now that Credence is older, he accepts the fact that Graves is  not who Credence had thought he was. That the man Credence had built up in his daydreams had never existed. Once again, the realization that Santa is not real. 

Luckily, Credence has school to distract him; he already has plans to make for graduation and the jobs he needs to start applying for right now. He has his whole life ahead of him. 

Still, when he’s walking through the park on the way to meet Tina for a quick lunch, and he sees Graves coming towards him, his heart gives the tiniest jolt, even though he had just seen the man earlier that morning. Credence sees Graves notice him, and Credence doesn’t meet his gaze. 

When they might have gotten close enough for Graves to approach him to say hello, Credence averts his face, and keeps walking past the figure that has halted in the path. He hears a confused “Credence?” but continues walking. He feels wretched, and walks even faster in response. 

When they head out for lunch he is nearly silent, definitely grouchy, and Tina becomes exasperated before they’ve even gotten their food brought out. 

“Alright, spill.” 

“What?” He picks at his napkin.

“Don’t give me that, Credence. You know what. What happened? Is it that creep at the cafe again?” Credence smiles a little. Tina hasn’t even seen the man, and Queenie hasn’t worked the early shift since Credence started, but Tina’s the best big sister he never had, and will always take his side. 

“Nothing happened, I just passed him on the way here, and he tried to say hello.” 

Tina shook her head. “I wish I had been there! I would have given him a piece of my mind! Stringing you along for months, then parading his one night stands—!” Tina’s fuming, and Credence relaxes, though there is still a vague pain near his heart. 

“Tina, he did not ‘string me along.’” 

Tina looks like she wants to argue, but takes a large bite out of her sandwich instead. Credence still doesn’t talk much over the rest of their lunch, but when Tina asks if he wants to walk her back to work, so they can grab ice cream, Credence enthusiastically agrees. Tina offers to treat, and Credence sits in the sun outside while she grabs them two cones. 

The day is one of the last remnants of summer, already the leaves have started turning, and the sun sets earlier, but today the sun is still hot and the breeze more warm than chill. 

A cone appears in front of his face, and Credence grabs it with a quick “thanks!” and Tina sits down to eat her own. 

“I should be heading back in, but the office is so cold! They’ve only just let me start— oh, Percival!” She turns with a grin to Credence, “This is my boss — well, my stand-in boss while my real boss is on maternity. Percival, this is Credence.” 

Credence stands up and turns around, ready to hold out a hand to shake… but Graves is standing there instead of the portly oldish man Credence had always imagined him to be from Tina’s stories. 

Credence wonders if he looks as stunned as Graves does as he quickly retracts his hand and cooly says, “hello.” 

Tina’s frowning now, and stands slowly to move closer to the two of them. “Do you two… know each other?” She takes a lick of her ice cream cone, and Credence almost laughs at how ridiculous they must seem, in a stand-off of sorts, while he and Tina lick their cones so the ice cream doesn’t drip all over their fingers. 

Credence summons as much dignity as he can, holding this cone in his hand and replies, “he comes into the cafe sometimes. Percival, is it?” 

Tina’s eyes widen. “Ohhhhhh…. He’s the… you know what? I have to get back to work. But you two should talk.” She grabs Credence’s arm when he makes a move to stalk off. “No, you should really talk. And you,” she turns to her boss, “you have some explaining to do.” 

Percival winces, but nods, and when Credence sits back down in his abandoned chair, Tina takes her leave. 

Percival makes his way to the other chair and timidly sits down in it. He eyes Credence for a moment before looking down at where his fingers are tapping against the tabletop. 

Credence waits patiently, licking at his ice cream every now and then, scowling when he catches Percival’s eyes tracing the swipe of his tongue. “No. Go ahead. Speak.” Credence knows he’s being rude, but he is confused and not sure what he should be feeling here. 

Percival settles himself with a sigh, and meets Credence’s eyes. “First of all… I’m sorry.” Credence stays silent, and Percival continues after a moment. “I… I knew who you were. I had seen you and Tina on the day she came in for her interview, and when she mentioned she had a brother who worked in a cafe nearby, I thought it must be you and I had to stop by.” 

Credence frowns, “So, you were stalking me?” 

Percival looks shocked, “no! No I wasn’t… I mean, I can see how… No. I was not stalking you. I was trying to… I thought you were cute, and I thought, maybe if you didn’t know who I was… I could flirt with you and you would like me?” Credence sits in silence for a moment, processing. 

“You had a crush on me.” Percival nods. “So, why. Why didn’t you say anything? Why have you been sleeping with all of those women?!” 

Percival looks confused, “Credence, I… what women?” 

“I leave for two months, and you decide ‘oh, now that he’s back, I’ll just parade a bunch of women I’m sleeping with but can’t remember the names of, because he doesn’t have my name, because I never told him.’?” The other man has been shaking his head through the whole sentence, and Credence stands up in frustration. “Okay, then Percival, tell me what happened.” 

Percival fidgets, before standing, himself so he can face Credence; who is surprised to see that he is slightly taller than Percival. “I wasn’t sleeping with any of those women. I was — well, as Tina mentioned, I’m covering for Sera while she’s on maternity leave, and I was, sort of… interviewing those women. And… No, I couldn’t exactly remember all of their names. Sera’s maternity leave started earlier than we expected, and since there wasn’t anyone available to cover for her, I took over her job as well as mine. So I thought, I’ll take them to the cafe because the meetings are insanely early in the morning...” Credence snorts, Percival never comes in before 8am. “And grabbing a coffee is the perfect way to make people comfortable while also, yes, having them say their names. None of the files Sera left me with are dated, and the assistant she had before she left was a moron, so the calendars only say “Interview” and the time. Plus…” 

Here, Percival glances up at Credence to gauge his reaction. “Plus, I would get to see you. Only then… I couldn’t sit facing you, or I’d get distracted. But you weren’t working afternoons anymore, and I couldn’t exactly ask Tina about you…” 

Speechless, Credence thinks about everything Percival said. It makes… an odd sort of sense. 

After a moment, Credence holds out a hand. “Nice to meet you, I’m Credence.” 

Percival’s face ignites in a relieved smile as he holds out his own hand to shake, “My name is Percival Graves. Credence, would you like to see a movie with me? I hear Real Genius  is playing tonight.” 

Credence is blushing now, ice cream cone forgotten in his other hand, most of the ice cream now melted into the cone but Credence can’t say he really cares. “I would love to. What are your thoughts on popcorn?” 

Percival grins, and finally releases Credence’s hand, taking a step back and Credence almost reaches out again to keep him close. “Love it."

**Author's Note:**

> LOOK, IT IS STILL SUNDAY WHERE I AM. This was supposed to be finished weeks ago, and honestly could still do with a lot of polishing, but every time I sat down to write, something different came out. Like this? Still took on a mind of its own, but I wrangled it back in. It was supposed to be a little fluff piece, but somehow ended up twice as long as expected, and still, somehow, not quite finished.  
> I guess I can only write PWP. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it, and maybe look out for some new fics some time soon because those were easier to write when I was supposed to be working on this one xD


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